Methods and apparatus for cooling gas turbine nozzles

ABSTRACT

A method for assembling a turbine nozzle for a gas turbine engine facilitates improving cooling efficiency of the turbine nozzle. The method includes providing a hollow doublet including a leading airfoil and a trailing airfoil coupled by at least one platform, wherein each airfoil includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall that extend between a respective leading and trailing edge. The method also includes inserting an insert into at least one of the airfoils, wherein the insert includes a first sidewall including a first plurality of cooling openings that extending therethrough, and a second sidewall including a second plurality of cooling openings extending therethrough, and wherein the first plurality of cooling openings facilitate more airfoil vane sidewall cooling than the second plurality of cooling openings.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to gas turbine engine nozzles and more particularly, to methods and apparatus for cooling gas turbine engine nozzles.

Gas turbine engines include combustors which ignite fuel-air mixtures which are then channeled through a turbine nozzle assembly towards a turbine. At least some known turbine nozzle assemblies include a plurality of nozzles arranged circumferentially and configured as doublets. A turbine nozzle doublet includes a pair of circumferentially-spaced hollow airfoil vanes coupled by integrally-formed inner and outer band platforms.

The doublet type turbine nozzles facilitate improving durability and reducing leakage in comparison to non-doublet turbine nozzles. Furthermore, turbine nozzle doublets also facilitate reducing manufacturing and assembly costs. In addition, because such turbine nozzles are subjected to high temperatures and may be subjected to high mechanical loads, at least some known doublets include an identical insert installed within each airfoil vane cavity to distribute cooling air supplied internally to each airfoil vane. The inserts include a plurality of openings extending through each side of the insert.

In a turbine nozzle, the temperature of the external gas is higher on the pressure-side than on the suction-side of each airfoil vane. Because the openings are arranged symmetrically between the opposite insert sides, the openings facilitate distributing the cooling air throughout the airfoil vane cavity to facilitate achieving approximately the same operating temperature on opposite sides of each airfoil. However, because of the construction of the doublet, mechanical loads and thermal stresses may still be induced unequally across the turbine nozzle. In particular, because of the orientation of the turbine nozzle with respect to the flowpath, typically the mechanical and thermal stresses induced to the trailing doublet airfoil vane are higher than those induced to the leading doublet airfoil vane. Over time, continued operation with an unequal distribution of stresses within the nozzle may shorten a useful life of the nozzle.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the invention, a method for assembling a turbine nozzle for a gas turbine engine is provided. The method includes providing a hollow doublet including a leading airfoil vane and a trailing airfoil vane coupled by at least one platform, wherein each airfoil vane includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall that extend between a respective leading and trailing edge. The method also includes inserting a first insert into the lead airfoil vane, wherein the insert includes a first sidewall including a first plurality of cooling openings that extend therethrough, and a second sidewall including a second plurality of cooling openings extending therethrough. The method also includes inserting a second insert into the trailing airfoil vane, wherein the first and second inserts are identical and are configured to configured to facilitate cooling each respective airfoil vane first sidewall more than each respective airfoil vane second sidewall.

In another aspect, a method of operating a gas turbine engine is provided. The method includes directing fluid flow through the engine using at least one turbine airfoil nozzle that includes a leading airfoil and a trailing airfoil coupled by at least one platform that is formed integrally with the leading and trailing airfoils, and wherein each respective airfoil includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall that extend between respective leading and trailing edges to define a cavity therein. The method also includes directing cooling air into the turbine airfoil nozzle through a pair of identical turbine nozzle inserts such that one side of each airfoil is cooled more than the other side of each airfoil.

In a further aspect of the invention, a turbine nozzle for a gas turbine engine is provided. The nozzle includes a pair of identical airfoil vanes coupled by at least one platform formed integrally with the airfoil vanes. Each airfoil vane includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall that are connected at a leading edge and a trailing edge, such that a cavity is defined therebetween. The nozzle also includes a pair of identical inserts configured to be inserted within each airfoil vane cavity. Each insert includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall. Each insert first sidewall includes a first plurality of openings extending therethrough for directing cooling air towards at least one of each of the airfoil vane first and second sidewalls. Each insert second sidewall includes a second plurality of openings extending therethrough for directing cooling air towards at least one of each of the airfoil vane first and second sidewalls, wherein the first plurality of openings are configured to cool each airfoil more the second plurality of cooling openings cool each airfoil.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a gas turbine engine;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective forward-looking-aft view of turbine nozzle that may be used with the gas turbine engine shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective aft-looking-forward view of the turbine nozzle shown in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a gas turbine engine 10 including a fan assembly 12, a high-pressure compressor 14, and a combustor 16. Engine 10 also includes a high-pressure turbine 18 and a low-pressure turbine 20. Engine 10 has an intake, or upstream, side 28 and an exhaust, or downstream, side 30. In one embodiment, engine 10 is a CF6-80 engine commercially available from General Electric Aircraft Engines, Cincinnati, Ohio.

In operation, air flows through fan assembly 12 and compressed air is supplied to high-pressure compressor 14. The highly compressed air is delivered to combustor 16. Airflow from combustor 16 is discharged through a turbine nozzle assembly (not shown in FIG. 1) that includes a plurality of nozzles (not shown in FIG. 1) and used to drive turbines 18 and 20. Turbine 20, in turn, drives fan assembly 12, and turbine 18 drives high-pressure compressor 14.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective forward-looking-aft view of turbine nozzle 50 that may be used with gas turbine engine 10 (shown in FIG. 1). FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective aft-looking-forward view of turbine nozzle 50. Nozzle 50 is known as a doublet and includes a pair of circumferentially-spaced airfoil vanes 52 coupled together by an arcuate radially outer band or platform 56 and an arcuate radially inner band or platform 54. More specifically, in the exemplary embodiment, each band 54 and 54 is formed integrally with airfoil vanes 52.

Inner band 54 includes a retention flange 60 that extends radially inwardly therefrom. More specifically, flange 60 extends substantially perpendicularly from band 54 with respect to a radially outer surface 62 of flange 60. Outer band 56 also includes a retention flange 64 that extends radially outwardly therefrom, and a leading edge flange 66 that also extends radially outwardly therefrom. More specifically, outer band retention flange 64 and leading edge flange 66 extend substantially perpendicularly from band 56 with respect to a radially inner surface 68 of band 56. Surfaces 62 and 68 define a radially outer and radially inner boundary for a flowpath through nozzle 50.

Airfoil vanes 52 are identical and include a leading airfoil vane 76 and a trailing airfoil vane 78. Each airfoil vane 52 includes a first sidewall 80 and a second sidewall 82. First sidewall 80 is convex and defines a suction side of each airfoil vane 76 and 78, and second sidewall 82 is concave and defines a pressure side of each airfoil vane 76 and 78. Sidewalls 80 and 82 are joined at a leading edge 84 and at an axially-spaced trailing edge 86 of each airfoil vane 76 and 78. More specifically, each airfoil trailing edge 86 is spaced chordwise and downstream from each respective airfoil leading edge 84.

First and second sidewalls 80 and 82, respectively, extend longitudinally, or radially outwardly, in span from radially inner band 54 to radially outer band 56. Additionally, first and second sidewalls 80 and 82, respectively, define a cooling chamber 90 within each airfoil vane 52. More specifically, chamber 90 is bounded by an inner surface 92 and 94 of each respective sidewall 80 and 82, and extends through each band 54 and 56.

Each cooling chamber 90 is sized to receive an insert 100 therein. More specifically, lead airfoil chamber 90 is sized to receive a lead insert 102, and trailing airfoil chamber 90 is sized to receive a trailing insert 104 therein. Inserts 102 and 104 are identical and each includes a key feature 110 and an attachment flange 114. Flange 114 extends from a radially outer end 116 of each insert 100, and enables each insert 100 to be secured within each respective cooling chamber 90. In one embodiment, flange 114 is brazed to radially outer band 56. In another embodiment, flange 114 is welded to radially outer band 56.

Key features 110 extend through flange 114 at each insert radially outer end 116, and are sized to be received in a mating slot (not shown) that extends through nozzle radially outer band 56. More specifically, key features 110 facilitate inserts 100 being installed in a proper orientation within chamber 90 and with respect to each airfoil vane 52.

Each insert 100 has a cross sectional profile that is substantially similar to that of each airfoil vane 52. More specifically, each insert 100 includes a first sidewall 120 and a second sidewall 124. Each insert first sidewall 120 is convex and defines a suction side of each insert 100, and each insert second sidewall is concave and defines a pressure side of each insert 102 and 104. Accordingly, each insert first sidewall 120 is adjacent each respective airfoil vane first sidewall 80 when each insert 102 and 104 is installed within each respective cooling chamber 90. Sidewalls 120 and 124 are joined at a leading edge 128 and at a trailing edge 132.

Each first sidewall 120 defines a suction side of each insert 100 and includes a first plurality of openings 140 that extend therethrough to a cavity 142 defined therein. Each second sidewall 124 includes a second plurality of openings 144 that extend therethrough to cavity 142. Each insert 100 is biased to facilitate cooling a suction side 80 of each airfoil vane 52 more than a pressure side 82 of each airfoil vane 52 more than a pressure side 82 of each airfoil vane 52. In the exemplary embodiment, the plurality of first sidewall openings 140 are greater than that required to achieve substantially equal airfoil vane surface temperatures when compared to the plurality of second sidewall openings 144. The ratio of ninety first sidewall openings 140 to ninety-seven second sidewall openings 144 results in biased cooling and is in contrast to known inserts which have a ratio of seventy-six first sidewall openings to one hundred thirty-seven second sidewall openings which results in cooling all four airfoil sidewalls substantially equally. More specifically, in the exemplary embodiment, each first sidewall 120 includes one hundred four first sidewall openings 140, and each second sidewall 124 includes one hundred and nine openings 144. In an alternative embodiment, the larger volume of air is facilitated because each insert first sidewall 120 includes openings 140 which are larger in diameter than corresponding openings 144 extending through insert second sidewall 124. It should be noted that the arrangement of openings 140 and 144 with respect to each respective sidewall 120 and 124 is variable. Furthermore, the number and size of openings 140 and 144 is also variable.

Each nozzle 50 is in flow communication with a cooling system (not shown) that directs cooling air into each airfoil vane cooling chamber 90 for internal cooling of nozzle airfoil vanes 52. Specifically, the cooling system directs cooling air into each airfoil vane insert 100, which in-turn, channels the cooling air for cooling airfoil vanes 52.

During operation, cooling air is routed through the cooling system into nozzles 50, which may not be thermally loaded or mechanically stressed equally between adjacent airfoil vanes 76 and 78. More specifically, due to gas loading, thermal variations, and mechanical loading, more mechanical and thermal stresses are induced and transmitted through trailing airfoil vane 78 than through lead airfoil vane 76. Cooling air supplied to nozzle 50 is biased more to a suction side 80 of each airfoil vane 52 than to a pressure side 82 of each airfoil vane 52. More specifically, as cooling air is channeled into nozzle 50, inserts 100 direct cooling air towards each respective nozzle airfoil vane 76 and 78. The cooling air exits outwardly from each nozzle airfoil vane 52 through a plurality of airfoil trailing edge openings (not shown), and thermal stresses induced within each individual airfoil vane 52 are facilitated to be reduced. As a result, although a maximum temperature of each airfoil vane concave surface 82 is increased, the thermal stresses induced in nozzle 50 are facilitated to be controlled to counteract the mechanical stresses, thus facilitating increasing a useful life of nozzle 50.

The above-described turbine nozzle includes a pair of identical inserts that enable a cooling scheme for the nozzle to be altered to optimize cooling of turbine nozzle doublets. Specifically, the inserts bias the distribution of cooling air supplied to the nozzle more to the suction side of each of the airfoil vanes. As a result, the inserts facilitate controlling thermal stresses induced within the nozzle, and thus, facilitate increasing the useful life of the nozzle in a cost-effective and reliable manner.

While the invention has been described in terms of various specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for assembling a turbine nozzle for a gas turbine engine, said method comprising: providing a hollow turbine nozzle including a leading airfoil vane and a trailing airfoil vane coupled by at least one platform that is formed integrally with the airfoil vanes, and wherein each airfoil vane includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall connected at a leading edge and a trailing edge, inserting a first insert into the leading airfoil vane that includes a first sidewall including a first plurality of cooling openings extending therethrough, and a second sidewall including a second plurality of cooling openings extending therethrough; and inserting a second insert into the trailing airfoil vane, wherein the first insert and the second inserts are identical and are configured to facilitate cooling each respective airfoil vane first sidewall more than each respective airfoil vane second sidewall.
 2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein each airfoil vane first sidewall defines a pressure side and each airfoil vane second side defines a suction side, inserting a first insert into the leading airfoil vane further comprises inserting the first insert into the leading airfoil vane to facilitate biasing cooling airflow towards the suction side of the airfoil vane.
 3. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the first sidewall of each airfoil vane is convex, and the second sidewall of each airfoil vane is concave, inserting a first insert into the leading airfoil vane further comprises inserting the first insert into the first airfoil vane to facilitate biasing cooling airflow towards the convex side of the airfoil vane.
 4. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein inserting a first insert into the leading airfoil vane further comprises inserting a first insert into the leading airfoil vane that includes a convex first sidewall including the first plurality of openings, and a concave second sidewall that includes the second plurality of openings.
 5. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein inserting the first insert into the leading airfoil vane further comprises inserting the first insert into the leading airfoil vane to facilitate reducing thermal stresses within the turbine nozzle.
 6. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein inserting the first insert into the leading airfoil vane further comprises inserting a first insert into the leading airfoil vane that includes a first plurality of openings extending through the insert first sidewall that facilitate providing more airfoil cooling than the second plurality of openings extending through the insert second sidewall.
 7. A method of operating a gas turbine engine, said method comprising: directing fluid flow through the engine using at least one turbine airfoil nozzle that includes a leading airfoil and a trailing airfoil coupled by at least one platform that is formed integrally with the leading and trailing airfoils, and wherein each respective airfoil includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall that extend between respective leading and trailing edges to define a cavity therein; and directing cooling air into the turbine airfoil nozzle through a pair of identical turbine nozzle inserts such that one side of each airfoil is cooled more than the other side of each airfoil.
 8. A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein directing cooling air into the turbine airfoil nozzle through a pair of identical turbine nozzle inserts further comprises directing airflow into each respective airfoil cavity through the pair of identical inserts installed within the turbine nozzle to facilitate reducing thermal stresses within the turbine airfoil nozzle.
 9. A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein directing cooling air into the turbine airfoil nozzle through a pair of identical turbine nozzle inserts further comprises directing airflow through a pair of identical inserts that each include a first plurality of cooling openings in flow communication with the airfoil first sidewall, and a second plurality of cooling openings in flow communication with the airfoil second sidewall, wherein the volume of airflow exiting the first plurality of cooling openings facilitate cooling the airfoil more than the volume of airflow exiting the second plurality of cooling openings.
 10. A method in accordance with claim 9 wherein the airfoil first sidewall defines a suction side of the respective airfoil, and the second sidewall defines a pressure side of the respective airfoil, directing cooling air into the turbine airfoil nozzle through a pair of identical turbine nozzle inserts further comprises biasing airflow entering the airfoils towards the suction side of each airfoil.
 11. A method in accordance with claim 9 wherein the airfoil first sidewall is convex, and the airfoil second sidewall is concave, directing cooling air into the turbine airfoil nozzle through a pair of identical turbine nozzle inserts further comprises biasing airflow entering the airfoil towards the convex side of each airfoil.
 12. A turbine nozzle for a gas turbine engine, said nozzle comprising: a pair of identical airfoil vanes coupled by at least one platform that is formed integrally with said airfoil vanes, each said airfoil vane comprising a first sidewall and a second sidewall connected at a leading edge and a trailing edge to define a cavity therebetween; and a pair of identical inserts configured to be inserted within each said airfoil vane cavity, each said insert comprising a first sidewall and a second sidewall, said insert first sidewall comprising a first plurality of openings extending therethrough for directing cooling air towards at least one of each said airfoil vane first and second sidewalls, said insert second sidewall comprising a second plurality of openings extending therethrough for directing cooling air towards at least one of each said airfoil vane first and second sidewalls, said first plurality of openings configured to facilitate more airfoil vane sidewall cooling than said second plurality of openings.
 13. A nozzle in accordance with claim 12 wherein said airfoil vane first sidewall defines an airfoil vane suction side, said airfoil vane second sidewall defines an airfoil vane pressure side, each said insert further configured to be inserted within at least one airfoil cavity such that said insert first sidewall is adjacent said airfoil vane first sidewall.
 14. A nozzle in accordance with claim 13 wherein each said airfoil vane first sidewall is convex, each said airfoil vane second sidewall is concave, each said insert further configured to facilitate cooling each said airfoil vane first sidewall more than each said airfoil vane second sidewall.
 15. A nozzle in accordance with claim 13 wherein each said insert further configured to be inserted such that each said insert first sidewall is in flow communication and adjacent each said airfoil vane first sidewall, each said insert first sidewall is convex, each said insert second sidewall is concave.
 16. A nozzle in accordance with claim 13 wherein said pair of identical inserts further configured to facilitate reducing thermal stresses within said nozzle. 